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Ponting deserves final call: Richards

WEST Indies master blaster Viv Richards says Ricky Ponting deserves to control the timing of his exit from Test cricket.

Ponting sparked a fresh bout of speculation over his playing future after being dismissed for a duck in Australia's first innings of the first Test against South Africa.

Richards says champion players such as Ponting are special cases. ''You should give him the benefit of the doubt, for him to bow out when he likes, because I think he deserves that,'' Richards said on Monday.

''When you have guys who have done so well, it's important you enjoy them for a long time and when they go, appreciate that also.''